Lost and Found: Kanto's Reckoning
by The-Other-Road7
Summary: Cameron Alistar is now 15 years old and the runner-up in the Alolan Championships. As they wait for Worlds to start they decide to tackle the Kanto Region together. However, this new adventure will bring new threats to themselves. Kanto has grown a lot over the decades, but so has it's criminal enterprise. New and old threats emerge forcing the Kanto region to face it's demons.
1. One

The radiant sun of Alola pours into my window like it does every morning, acting as my alarm clock. Just in time, my mom knocks on my door to tell me breakfast is ready. I'm in no rush to get up, and judging by the pink fluff bag on my back, neither is Skitty.

Eventually my feet touch the shiny wood floor down below. I stretch my arms to wake them up and walk to the door. My brother, Aaron, is sitting in the living room watching some TV show. He's slowly welcomed himself back into the family by actually talking to my mom and I and doing chores. He still leaves at random times but not as frequent or as long.

Hell, he even talks to me. We don't really have conversations but something is better nothing, I guess.

My mom has taken to making the Alolan traditional food of Malasadas. After she found out how often Caleb and I ate it she just "had" to learn how to make it. So she makes it all of the time now. She makes this special cinnamon variety for breakfast and it's so good. It gives me life.

Speaking of Caleb, he has just arrived with his mom. Our moms are going to a meeting later on to continue their take over of Melemele Island. I kid you not when I say that, by the way. The fertilizer my mom makes has transformed Alolan agriculture. Meanwhile, Caleb's mom is taking Pokemon care to another level. They are now partners with all of the Pokemon Centers in Melemele Island with plans to expand cooperation with the rest of Alola.

Today, they're hoping to get permission to set up a massive Pokemon Daycare in the vacant building next to the training school. Before our mothers were interested in the land it was to it was supposed to be an office building but the original owners of the land sold it after construction finished. Nobody knows who the buyers were as they were represented by a bunch of lawyers but rumors suggest the buyers were in legal trouble and had to sell certain assets.

Either way, this is something that Caleb is really excited for. If his mom gets what she wants it'll be the largest Daycare center in the world. Not only that, but the plan is to also breed different Pokemon and teach kids about all of the different Pokemon out there. Caleb really wants to help out with that and I've given him my word to do the same.

Caleb smiled and brushed his dusty brown hair from his eye as he saw me. We're still happily together and when I say happily I mean it. I've never been happier.

"I saw your Decidueye hanging around with Hala earlier."

After the Alolan Championship, which I lost, I realized that Decidueye was not the Pokemon to keep in it's ball. Hala appreciated it because apparently Decidueye is great with kids and keeps a watchful eye on the Island. I've noticed this from time to time too, especially at night.

"Did you say hi to him?" I ask Caleb.

He frowns, "Uh no."

I jokingly rolled my eyes and said, "Some friend you are. I bet he saw you and you just decided not to say hi to him."

His brows shot up as he shook his head. "No, no, no, don't say that. Oh man. I need to go back and say hi."

I laughed. "Oh relax. We can check on him later."

You know that feeling when someone is looking at you from across the room? Yeah, Caleb and I both feel that way and for good reason. Nearby, our mom's are staring at us smiling.

"Oh you two are ado-"

"Don't you dare finish that," I demand interrupting my mom. So embarrassing.

My mom, still wearing that smile shook her head. "Love is love, honey. I'm just happy for you two."

I was embarrassed for myself and Caleb.

"Mom, please stop. Don't make me tell Skitty to use swift attack on you," I joke.

We all look down at Skitty who looks at us. Then he throws up on the floor below. After looking at it he looks up at me and walks away.

"I believe that is your problem to clean up," my mom said almost too smugly.

Dammit.

After embarrassing me, my mom and Caleb's mom leave to go to their meeting. Meanwhile, Aaron also heads out to do whatever the hell it is that he does. Caleb and I stick around to eat the breakfast my mom prepared.

It's been a couple months since I lost to Caleb. I took the lost pretty well, I think. I always knew that Caleb was a better trainer than I was, and still is, but I gave him a good fight. Deep down I let myself down, but I also did my best and that's all I could ask for.

Since then we have kept our battling down to a minimum. Caleb has become a celebrity of sorts, always being asked to take pictures or sign autographs, while I have calmly settled in his shadow. The first couple weeks was tough and annoying with how ferocious people were but it's died down significantly. We can go into town without being bombarded by people.

All I know is that I will always cherish that battle and the result because it was against one of my best friends, who just so happens to be my boyfriend. We've been as inseparable after the island challenge and tournament as we were during it and it's cool.

In a couple weeks we will set our sights on Kanto and hopefully take down all of their gyms. We've agreed to pass on the Kanto Tournament and will just go straight into the Worlds next Spring. There is a chance for the Kanto Tournament to be delayed later into the summer, which is usually held in May, but with Worlds due in April the Kanto Committee doesn't want the tournaments close together. There has been a lot of issues with the IPA in recent months. They delayed Worlds until next Spring for no apparent reason, at first. There'a been some investigations and resignations at the top of management. There is a move, however, to get Worlds in February and then make that annual approach. The IPA has come out and said that once a decision is finalized they will pay for all of the competitors to come free of charge.

When it comes to the Kanto Tournament, however, I don't think I'll want to do it after World's. My runner-up status in the Alolan Tournament has already allowed me to compete in Worlds. Either way, there is still time.

The plan was to go to Kanto with Caleb and Cameron but Cam backed out last week. His dad took a tumble down the stairs and so now he has to help out with the family business. It's an unfortunate situation but to be honest it's probably for the best. Balancing my best friend and boyfriend while I'm trying to beat 8 gyms leaders sounds like the perfect way to stress myself out of the Kanto region.

"So I have something to tell you," Caleb started off. Which, by the way, is literally the worst thing anyone can say to you. I looked at him without saying a word. "I may or may not have penned you in for a Pokemon battle later."

I raised my brow, "Penned me in?" I asked throwing quotation marks up in the air with my fingers.

He bit his lower lip before nodding his head. "Well Ms. Wintrell, back at the Training School told me that two of the kids that graduated with top marks wanted to battle us. So I agreed to it and we are supposed to be there at 2 PM later. I'll see you then, okay? Bye."

Caleb walked away from me but I ran in front of him and stopped him. He was laughing. "Are you kidding me?!"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I just thought it would be good for us to get a little warm up in before we leave for Kanto. Plus they deserve a good challenge."

I sighed. "Fine, whatever. I'm not going to go easy on them then."

He tilted his neck, "Don't be a poor sport. Be nice, okay?"

I shook my head with a smirk. "Shoulda asked me about this first."

He apologized and I can see that he actually felt bad so I threw my arm around his shoulders and said, "Let's go to the beach before our battle, then."

When we got to the beach I was surprised to see Gladion there. He was looking tired but that seems to be the norm for him nowadays. I approached him and asked what he was doing here.

"We're unveiling a new filter to make sea water drinkable."

I glanced over at Caleb and he made a disgusted face. "Umm excuse me?" I ask Gladion. I've always thought the ocean water was beautiful because it's so blue and clear, but I just peed in it 2 days ago like everyone else does and I don't want to consume it.

He pulled this thing out of his pocket and walked into the ocean. Then he grabbed a cup, handed it to me and pressed a button on this device that held the sea water. Then the device spat the water out of this spout coming from the bottom of it.

The water was clear and looked very clean. Gladion told me to drink and I damn near laughed in his face. "It's not happenin', man. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. I'd have to be stranded in the middle of the dessert to drink that."

He rolled his eyes. "Gees. It eliminates 99% of contaminants and germs. It's as perfect as it can be."

"Except for the 1% of urine, shit and garbage."

He smirked, "You drink tap water. That's water from metal pipes. Metal corrodes, you know. That'll kill you before this does."

I shook my head, "Well at least I'm not drinking pee or shit particles."

"That's what you think," I hear him mutter before some kid interrupts him.

The boy asks Gladion what device he has in his hand, so Gladion gives him the run down. For the last couple months Gladion has become more open with his work at the Aether Foundation. This allows him to help and boost the foundation's reputation. As a result he's become somewhat of a celebrity as well. He often goes to schools and villages and teaches kids about the inventions the foundation is working on. Due to such interest he has set up a education fund and program. The Aether Foundation is now paying for the studies of kids who wish to take part in the tech field. Furthermore, kids starting at a young age can come to the Aether Foundation once a week for a 2 months program and learn some of the ins and outs of the company. This in turn can lead to an internship, which can finally end with them getting a job. Gladion believes this is a way to keep Alola ahead of the game in tech. Nothing helps advances in a field more than an inspired local population.

He still isn't a people-person, but at least he knows how to help them.

After Gladion was done talking to the boy he turned back towards us and asked, "So when are you two going to Kanto?"

"2 weeks to the day. We are expected to run into Professor Oak where we will get a new extension to our Pokedex and a starter Pokemon."

"So you both are going to start fresh, huh?" he asked.

"Yup. Should be fun to raise a few new Pokemon," Caleb responds.

"Make sure to check on our Kanto Headquarters in Saffron City. Let them know who you are and you guys can stay there for a while to check out the city."

We nodded and agreed to take him up on that. Beats paying for a hotel or motel room. Not to mention it's league's better than pitching a tent and sleeping in a stupid bag.

Gladion recently offered to fly us out on his private jet to Kanto, which is fine with us. Again it pays to know a rich person, free things all of the time and at 15, we'll take it. I can't help but think the only reason he does these things for Caleb and I is because we are pretty much his only friends.

Kinda hope not, but it wouldn't surprise me.

* * *

_**A/N: So I'm doing another one of these. If you read my previous fanfiction, sorry about the extremely long wait for the sequel. I just didn't want to do what I had hinted at in the story so I let the story finish after the finals of the Alolan Championship and that was it. This new story will make up for it.**_

_**If you have not read the previous fic, you will be left out of a few things. I will do my best to summarize the past and how our characters have come to be and what they've been through, but it's better if you read it. I know it's a lot of words, but it'll be worth it in my opinion.**_

_**I do not have the slightest idea how often I will update but I will shoot for every couple of days or at the very least, once a week. I am absolutely open to questions and intelligent critiques.**_

_**This story, like its predecessor, will delve into mental health and other "mature" topics. However, there will not be any overly romantic themes or suggestions. That'll be PG.**_


	2. Two

Caleb and I have been introduced to the graduating class of new trainers. To be honest none of them seemed all that special but I guess 1 year of battling doesn't make me an expert.

Ms. Wintrell introduced us to the 2 trainers Caleb and I are going to battle with, Jayma and Roylin. They seemed nice enough as I shook their hands.

Caleb could tell I wasn't exactly in the mood to do all the socializing so he turned to Ms. Wintrell and skillfully got her to gather everyone to the back where the battle will occur. I haven't done a lot of battling, but all of what I have done was against Caleb or Professor Kukui. Most of what I've done involved learning tactics and/or research for Kukui.

"I can't wait to battle Decidueye," Roylin said from across the field. I nearly laughed as I grabbed the Pokeball.

He's going to be in for a disappointment.

Caleb sent out his Alolan Persian while I sent out Cutiefly. I caught this Cutiefly yesterday on a walk with Caleb. He looked at me and mouthed, "What are you doing?"

Again I nearly laughed. These kids have probably watched hordes of videos of our battles. They know our Pokemon and how we battle. Plus, Roylin literally has a Dragonite emblem on his shirt. I'm guessing he likes dragon types.

When they sent out their Pokemon, I smirked at Caleb. Our opponents sent out Lycanroc and Shelgon. My plan was to let Caleb do all the dirty work while Cutiefly just flies around lending a hand every once in a while. I was banking on its small size, to escape the eyes and attention of the 2 trainer kids.

Caleb went the aggressive rout, laying a few tackles in on Lycanroc. However, Roylin quickly intervened with a dragonbreath attack. With Persian off the ground it was going to get hit, but this is where Cutiefly comes in with a Fairy Wind attack.

Jayma sent Lycanroc after my Cutiefly so I decided to tell my Pokemon to just fly away.

"Get behind Persian!" I yelled out.

Jayma staggered with understanding the situation. Her Lycanroc had come face to face with Caleb's Persian, and Caleb did not miss a beat. After a big bite attack followed with Silver Wind attack, Lycanroc fainted.

However, before Caleb and I could celebrate. Shelgon slammed into Persian with a pretty hard force. Roylin took advantage of a rattled Persian and yelled out a Double Edge attack. This one caused Persian to faint leaving my Cutiefly as the last line of defense.

Roylin seemed happy, as if he had won. I didn't smile.

"Do you think you won?" I asked seriously.

"Well your Pokemon isn't exactly the scariest or strongest Pokemon."

I scoffed, "And here I thought you've seen my battles before."

Caleb gave me that look as to settle down but I wanted to teach this kid a lesson. Yeah I'm probably being a little too serious but just because he graduated from school doesn't mean he's done learning. Quite the contrary, clearly.

"I have," he shot back.

"Shame. Don't know how someone who doesn't take good notes was able to graduate from school."

I could hear some of the kids in the stands nearby make a smattering of noise including laughter and whispering. Caleb all but gave up on reigning me in. He just placed his head in his hands and shook his head.

"Cutiefly, fly high."

Cutiefly flew. He flew up high into the sky, hidden by the sun. I watched as Rylin and his Shelgon looked up and tried to find the tiny Pokemon.

"Dazzling Gleam!" I yell.

A powerful energy flash envelops the opposing Shelgon. As it struggles to it's feet I tell Cutiefly, who's returned to eye level, to use Fairy Wind.

The attack was enough to make Shelgon faint and that was the end of it. My Cutiefly went untouched and lesson was taught. That is what I call a win-win.

"Did you really need to show him up?" Caleb asked.

"Did you really need to beat me in the Finals last summer?"

He cocked his head as if to say, "Really?" I shrugged and smiled to let him know I was just joking.

We both approached the other two kids who seemed disappointed with themselves. Caleb was first to congratulate them and shake their hands. Before I could shake Rylin's hand Caleb said a couple words to Rylin.

"Don't ever think you are done learning. You aren't just training your Pokemon, but you are training yourself as well."

Leave it to him to surmise everything with a cleverly worded lesson. Definitely more succinct than I would've been. I simply just shook Rylin's hand and that was it.

Ms. Wintrell gathered all of the kids together and basically told them what Caleb told Rylin, but in a more simplified way.

We hung around for a little while longer to talk to some other kids but we left just in time for dinner. However, before I left Rylin stopped me.

"Uh is it true you are going to Kanto soon?"

I nodded. "In two weeks, why?"

"Do you think you can take a picture of a Dragonite for me?"

The request was so innocent I'd be hard-pressed to be an ass and say no. I said yes, and now I hope not to forget. The kid really likes Dragonite and even though I was hard on him, I don't want to let him down.

"Of course. Maybe one day you'll go to Kanto and get yourself a Dratini."

He looked down at the grass below us. "My mom doesn't want me leaving Alola until I'm 15. She wants me to just focus on the Island Challenge for now."

"So do that. Then go win the Alolan League. Plenty here to keep yourself occupied for a while."

He nodded and thanked me before walking away. Caleb approached me and said, "See, it's not that hard to be nice."

I rolled my eyes and pushed Caleb away. "It's how my dad was when he taught me and my brother. Always be tough on them in a battle but outside understand they love Pokemon just as much as you, maybe more."

Caleb's face turned.

I smiled, "Don't worry. I never told you about those days. Kinda glad that now I feel like I can without being a blubbering mess."

We both laughed.

Back home my mom and Caleb's mom were sipping tea and eating some wafer cookies. They seem to be happy and when Caleb asks how the meeting was they spill the beans.

They've been given the building and a license to run a day-care center. They've also been given the go-ahead to breed Pokemon. On top of that, they will also be allowed to have a certified Pokemon Center inside, which they thought was a pipe dream.

The renovations is likely to be done by December and ready to go by February of next year. If all goes well, Caleb and I should be back for the opening. Our moms are hoping this big center becomes a bit of a tourist attraction for not just Melemele Island but Alola.

"I've invited Professor Kukui for dinner. We ran into each other and he was hoping to talk to you. I figured he could come over eat in the meantime."

"Sounds good," I replied wondering what Kukui would want to talk to me about.

Kukui came to dinner a bit late and looked a bit flustered, but he wore a smile in order to not worry anybody. Just by the looks he was giving I could tell whatever was bothering him involved me.

After a bit of eating and talking, something my mom can do forever, Kukui asked Caleb and I to join him outside. Caleb had no clue what he was going to tell us and if it was important.

Kukui kept it light at first asking about if we are ready to go to Kanto and what Pokemon we hope to meet. He was stalling. Then after running out of ways to stall, his face twisted.

"Okay I assume you guys know about what's occurring in Kanto with the IPA, correct?"

Caleb and I looked at each other and then at Kukui. We nodded.

"Well it seems that things a more complicated. This isn't exactly public information, but it seems that Team Rocket's rise is connected to the corruption."

In recent months we've been hearing about Team Rocket crawling out of the dirt and has regained some influence. People thought this would never happen when Giovanni died a few years ago, but here we are.

As for the IPA, the International Pokemon Association, it's been embroiled in a major corruption scheme. The President, Vice President and Ambassador to Pokemon Affairs have all been arrested on bribery and other corruption charges. This has led to the fourth in line, Dana Coan, becoming the President of the IPA.

Dana is a good friend to billionaire Tony Vulgus who is from Kalos, but had made his home in Kanto in recent years. He's invested millions into the region including a massive skyscraper in Saffron City. The skyscraper is next to the Aether Foundation's 2nd HQ. They both stand as the tallest buildings in all of Kanto.

Most of Vulgus' business ventures are in entertainment such as TVs, cell phones, and computers. However, he's recently moved towards other things such as food. With that said he's a shady character.

"So Tony Vulgus has ties to Team Rocket?" I asked.

Kukui shrugged. "Maybe. There's no proof but at the very least we don't believe he's actively against Team Rocket."

"Is that all?"

Kukui took a deep breath. "No. Team Rocket isn't just growing for no reason. There is a reason and to be honest I am concerned, especially if it involves Mr. Vulgus. Simply put, I want you two to be careful."

I saw Caleb look at me at the corner of my eye but I didn't look back. I was too concentrated on Kukui's rolling of emotions. There was more to what he knew but wasn't tell us.

"You aren't going to tell our moms are ya?" I ask.

He shook his head. "I think you two can handle your own, but don't go trying to be heroes. We're working on it."

"Okay, we won't," I answered speaking for Caleb and myself. Kukui smiled, satisfied with my response.

After a small conversation about his research, to which I'm to go help with this weekend, Kukui left us near my house. Caleb looked away as if he was lost but when I went to get his attention he seemed normal. He told me he was going to go home and relax for the rest of the night and that he'd see me in the morning.

I watched him walk away and looked down at Skitty who was sitting by my feet. "Ready to go for a walk, buddy?"

Sometimes I like to walk along the beach front in Hau'oli City at night. It's refreshing having the clean and clear air hit your body and mind when it's not crowded, polluted by people. Tonight was no different.

It was a bit late, near 9 PM, so there were only a few people out and about. There were a bunch of Pokemon hanging around. It always amazes me how the Pokemon come out when the people go in. I wonder how things were when humans didn't come and plop all of these big buildings here. Pokemon would free to go where they want whenever they want. Now they have to adapt to us, and I guess this is how they've done so.

I sat down on the boardwalk and thought about what Kukui said. I don't know if he slipped up but he said that "we" were working on the problem. Who is the "we" and how are they going to go about fixing this problem?

I mean it must be really serious if Kukui is involved in the solution of this. No offense to Kukui but if I'm in Kanto, do I really know who he is? Maybe Professor Oak does, but would he really ask Kukui for help? To me that says that this is a very bad situation and I'm glad that my mom doesn't know about it.

Much of what I know about Team Rocket is in the history books, really. They were kind of like Team Skull in some respects and faced their doom when a kid, named Red, took them down. It's kind of a weird but insane story, to be honest.

With that said I'm still excited to go to Kanto. They were the first region to establish a Pokemon league. They've laid the groundwork to which so many have followed, like Alola.

As I sit and watch the waves break and crash into the sand something catches my attention towards Route 2. I know it's stupid to go see what it is, but I go anyways. Although, I had to wake up Skitty and he was perturbed with that.

As I walk towards Route 2, I see that it is largely desolate. And dark. Very dark. Of course I hear the breaking of twigs nearby so that scares me. Meanwhile, Skitty isn't all that nervous.

Even though I'm a little scared I continue on to where I hear a small noise coming from Route 3. When I get there something rolls towards my foot and I'm not having it. Then I see something in the corner of my eye fly into the trees nearby. I try to look and see nothing.

At this moment I think it is safe enough for me to leave so I pick go down to pick up Skitty so we can get out faster.

Then I fall on my ass when I lift my head and see a figure standing in front of me.

"Damn you, Decidueye!" I yell.

He chews on a twig as I try to calm my heart.

"Don't ever scare me like that again."

Decidueye just stared at me as I got up from the ground.

I thought for a minute and smiled, "I'm going to miss your pranks when I go to Kanto. I want you to make sure everything is okay here, and maybe mess with Aaron."

We looked at each other for a moment and he lifted his wing and placed it on my shoulder for a moment. Then he took off to do whatever he does. As I walked down Route 3 back to Route 2 I saw Caleb walking towards the cemetery.

I decided to follow him, but I'm guessing he's going to see his brother's stone so I'll hang back and let him do what he has to do. I sit up against a tree and wait until Caleb shows up. When he does, 20 minutes later, I kind of scare him.

"Uh were you following me?" he asks still startled.

"Yes and no. I was already out here, but then I saw you. I thought I'd stick around and walk home with you."

He smiled softly, but I could see his eyes were red and glassy.

"Are you okay?" I ask him.

He looks around and shrugs. Is that worse than if he said yes or no? Maybe. He doesn't know if he's okay and that has to be scary, I know it was for me.

"Do you want to talk? You can say no. I won't break up with you," I say jokingly.

With a slight smile he says, "I'm kinda worried about going to Kanto, now."

"Why?" I ask.

"I don't want what happened to Torrecat to happen again."

I can see the pain resurface on his face. "Then we won't." He shook his head and told me how impossible it is to guarantee something like that. I sighed. "We won't go looking for trouble. I won't. That I can guarantee you." I lied.

He made no visible emotion, he just stepped towards me and hugged me. I could feel his heart beat at a faster pace than mine as he holds on tightly.

I wanted to ask him why he came out here but I think I can put it together. He's scared and ironically enough the reason for his fear is also a place of solace and safety for him. He doesn't want to lose anybody or anything again so he goes to the place where the one person he's lost is buried in order to deal with it. It's a sick and ironic situation but I get it.

When I went to the scene of my father's death I felt like most of the pain I was dealing with had been removed. I felt free. I guess that's how Caleb feels when he comes here, but how often does he come here?

"You want to stay at my place tonight, I'm sure my mom would love to make you something you like in the morning?"

He lightly pushed off and said, "As long as I get Skitty to sleep next to."

I chuckled, "That's more than fine by me," I say. I look down at Skitty and stick my tongue out at him. He yawns and sits down next to Caleb's feet.


End file.
